Dual path robotic derrick and methods applicable in well drilling

ABSTRACT

The invention disclosed herein pertains to a drilling rig comprising of a dual path derrick, racking board robotic arm and drill floor robotic arm. Useable in drilling operations, the invention disclosed herein decreases time in assembling the drilling string and removes pipe handling personnel from the drilling rig racking board and rig floor.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein pertains to a drilling rig comprising of a dual path derrick, racking board robotic arm and drill floor robotic arm. Useable in drilling operations, the invention disclosed herein decreases time in assembling the drilling string and removes pipe handling personnel from the drilling rig racking board and rig floor.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Modern drilling rigs perform drilling of Oil and Gas wells by utilizing Drill Bits which drill through layers of earth using torque provided by a Top Drive. Drill Bit is mechanically connected to a Top Drive via Drilling String. Drilling String is a string of jointed drilling pipes. Drill Bit, String and Top Drive are mutually connected via threaded joints, this assembly is further suspended from the top of the Derrick, where steel cables passing through the Crown Block connect to a Draw-Works on the Rig Floor. Draw-Works allows for the steel cable to be reeled in and out resulting in raising and lowering of the Top Drive, String and Drill Bit. Combining this lowering and raising motion with rotation provided by the Top Drive allows the Drill Bit to drill into earth.

Upon drilling one height of the Derrick, the Drill String needs to be extended by introducing a new Drill Pipe into the Drilling String. This procedure requires the Top Drive to be detached from the drilling string to allow for the new segment of Drill Pipe to be inserted at the top of the Drill String. While detached from the Top Drive, Drilling String is being held in place by the Floor Slips. The procedure of introducing new Drill Pipe segment into the String usually requires the Top Drive to be raised (via reeling in of draw works) to a height in the Derrick where enough space is freed to allow for the new segment of Drill Pipe, standing vertically, to be transported directly below the Top Drive. The raising of the Top Drive and transporting of the pipe segment are performed in sequence, first the Top Drive is raised to a height that frees enough space to accommodate the new Drill Pipe segment standing vertically then new segment is transported directly below the top drive, lastly connections are made between Top Drive and new Drill Pipe as well as between the String and new Drill Pipe.

Transporting the Drill Pipe is usually performed by two workers on the Rig Floor and one worker standing on the Racking Board. Using their hands, workers perform the transport of the top of the Drill Pipe segment from its position in the Racking Board into Top Drive Elevator. Upon securing the top of the pipe segment into Top Drive Elevator, Top Drive is raised in such a way that the Drill Pipe is entirely lifted from the floor. Two workers on the floor hold the bottom of the Drill Pipe during this raise, they stabilize the Drill Pipe and align the bottom of the Drill Pipe with the top of the Drilling String, Top Drive is then lowered slightly in such a way that the new Drill Pipe bottom threaded joint is inserted into the top threaded joint of a Drilling String. At this point worker on the floor spins and torques new Drill Pipe into the String using a torque wrench.

As drilling progresses this process is repeated for each new Drill Pipe. Occasionally, while drilling a single well, drilling needs to be interrupted and entire Drilling String needs to be pulled out of the well. Drill Pipes are “Tripped Out” of the well and placed vertically on the Drill Floor next to the Wellbore in such a way that they can be easily accessible and “Tripped In” back into the well in order to resume the drilling. Often more than one Drill Pipe is pulled out of the well at the time. Some Derricks allow for two or more Drill Pipes to remain connected, these “doubles” or “triples” of Drill Pipe are called a Drill Stand. Drill Stand usually consists of two, three or four Drill Pipes that remain connected together. When pulled out of the Wellbore the Drill Pipes/Stands are placed vertically on the Rig Floor and horizontally restrained in the Racking Board that is 50 or 80 feet above the Rig Floor, depending on the size of the Drill Stands supported by the Rig.

In Trip Out operation the Top Drive is lowered to the Rig Floor, it engages, by Elevator, Drilling String which rests in the Floor Slips. Floor Slips open and Top Drive is raised to upper position lifting the entire Drilling String out of Wellbore for the height of a Drill Stand. Floor Slips close and secure the Drilling String below ground carrying its weight. Top Drive remains in upper position securing the portion of the Drill String above ground while workers disconnect this top portion of the Drill String from the one underground. Upon disconnecting from the Drilling String this disconnected portion now becomes a Drill Stand that is held by the Elevator. Workers on the floor transport the bottom of the stand to its designated position on the Rig Floor, simultaneously Top Drive is lowered in such a way that the Drill Stand ends up at standing on the Rig Floor at its designated location. When Drill Stand is safely positioned on the Rig Floor, the Derrick-man disengages the Drill Stand top end from the Elevator and transports it to its designated location in the Racking Board. Drill Stand is now secured standing vertically on the Rig Floor and supported by the Racking Board. Top Drive is then lowered to the Rig Floor where Elevator re-engages the Drill String so that next Drill Stand can be pulled out of the Wellbore.

In Trip In operation the Top Drive is raised to the top of the Derrick, Drill String is secured in Floor Slips, Derrick-man transports the top of the Drill Stand from its designated location in the Racking Board to the Top Drive Elevator, Elevator engages the Drill Stand, Top Drive is then raised further in such a way that the Drill Stand is lifted 2-4 feet off the Rig Floor. Workers on the floor stabilize the bottom end of the raised Drill Stand and align it with the Drill String secured in the Floor Slips. Top Drive is slightly lowered so the Workers can spin the Drill Stand into the String, Workers complete the connection freeing the Floor Slips to open and Top Drive to lower the Drill String for the length of the Drill Stand. Floor Slips engage the Drill String once the Top Drive is lowered allowing the Top Drive Elevator to disengage the Drilling String and Top Drive to raise to the top of the Derrick where next Drill Stand can be added to the Drilling String.

A need exist for improved efficiency of the Trip In and Trip Out operations, further need exists for improved worker safety of Trip In and Trip Out operations.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Certain embodiments of the invention herein pertain to a drilling rig derrick operating on a wellbore having a wellbore axis, wherein derrick comprises of primary vertical path for the top drive, secondary vertical path for the top drive, moveable crown, top drive torque track, extendable top drive dolly, racking board robotic arm, rig-floor robotic arm and robotic torque wrench. Moveable crown and extendable top drive dolly move the top drive along the axis perpendicular to the wellbore axis wherein the top drive remains vertically suspended at all times and wherein the top drive axis is at all times parallel to the wellbore axis and wherein the draw works can raise and lower the top drive while top drive is moved along the axis perpendicular to and displaced any distance away from the wellbore axis.

In certain embodiments the top drive is moved along the axis perpendicular to the wellbore axis wherein the top drive is horizontally displaced an exact distance. The top drive axis is aligned with the axis of primary or secondary vertical path in the derrick wherein the top drive is vertically raised or lowered traversing primary or secondary vertical path.

In certain embodiments, primary vertical path for the top drive is aligned with the wellbore axis allowing the top drive to access, raise or lower the drill string wherein the secondary vertical path for the top drive is horizontally displaced away from the wellbore axis allowing the top drive to be raised and lowered while the drill string remains accessible wherein the space above the wellbore axis between rig floor and moveable crown remains empty.

Other embodiments of the invention concern a method of trip in sequence using the aforementioned primary vertical path, secondary vertical path, moveable crown, extendable top drive dolly, racking board robotic arm, rig floor robotic arm and robotic torque wrench. This method comprises of displacing the top drive into the secondary vertical path along the axis perpendicular to the wellbore axis prior to raising wherein the top drive is then raised along the secondary vertical path while the racking board robotic arm, rig floor robotic arm and robotic torque wrench engage and raise the drill stand on the racking board, transport the drill stand, align the axis of a drill stand with wellbore axis, spin the drill stand and complete the connection between the drill stand and drilling string.

Other embodiments of the invention concern a method of trip out sequence using the aforementioned primary vertical path, secondary vertical path, moveable crown, extendable top drive dolly, racking board robotic arm, rig floor robotic arm and robotic torque wrench. This method comprises of displacing the top drive into the secondary vertical path along the axis perpendicular to the wellbore axis prior to lowering wherein the top drive is then lowered along the secondary vertical path while the racking board robotic arm, rig floor robotic arm and robotic torque wrench engage the drill stand, disconnect the drill stand from the drill string, raise the drill stand and transport the drill stand into the racking board.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: an isometric view of the system: derrick with moving crown and torque track, racking board robotic crane, floor robotic arm and iron-rough-neck.

FIG. 2: an isometric view of the drilling rig derrick system detail: racking board robotic crane, supporting frame with rails.

FIG. 3: an isometric view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system detail: floor robotic arm, robotic arm base and rails, iron-rough-neck and slips.

FIG. 4: a side view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system: crown and top drive in the primary path with dolly hydraulically extended from the torque track.

FIG. 5: an isometric view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system: top drive in the by-pass path.

FIG. 6: a side view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system: crown and top drive in the by-pass path. Racking board robotic arm holds pipe stand, floor robotic arm guides pipe stand bottom end.

FIG. 7: an isometric view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system detail: crown in the primary path position

FIG. 8: an isometric view of High efficiency drilling rig derrick system detail: crown in the by-pass position.

FIG. 9: an isometric view of the racking board robotic arm

FIG. 10: an isometric view of the floor robotic arm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Crown (2) mounted on the derrick (1) on the guides to allow crown movement in longitudinal direction (derrick front side to derrick back side and vice versa). Crown is moved by hydraulic cylinders (19, FIG. 7) and locked in one of two positions; primary path position or secondary path position. Simultaneously, top drive dolly (7, FIG. 4) driven by hydraulic cylinders (18, FIG. 4) moves and locks the top drive (6) into the proper path.

Racking board robotic arm (9, FIG. 2) is mounted on the main frame with rails (10) above the racking board. It is designed to guide and lift weight of the triple drill stand (17), transports the drill stand from primary path to the proper spot in the racking board, and vice versa. Cart (29, FIG. 9)) provides rig arm longitudinal movement. Robotic arm main frame (30, FIG. 9) rotates around vertical axis, inner frame (31, FIG. 9) moves up and down providing lifting and lowering of the drill stand. Parallelogram assembly (32, FIG. 9) provides horizontal movement of robotic arm hand (15, FIG. 2 and FIG. 9)). Robotic arm's hand has two modes: guide mode, where the pipe stand is only guided and allowed to freely rotate, and grab mode, the drill stand is firmly engaged to allow raising and lowering.

Floor robotic arm (11, FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) is mounted on floor rails (12). It is designed to guide drill stand's bottom end from the primary path to a proper spot on the rig floor, and vice versa. Cart (33, FIG. 10) provides floor robotic arm longitudinal movement. Rotary base (34, FIG. 10) rotates about vertical axis. First arm (35, FIG. 10) rotates around horizontal axis on rotary base. Second arm (36, FIG. 10) rotates about horizontal axis on the top end of the first arm. Floor robotic arm hand (16, FIG. 3 and FIG. 10), horizontally stabilized, and engages the drill stand (drill pipe or drill collar) in guide mode. On the bottom side hand has retractable extension (37, FIG. 10) to grease pipe thread before stabbing.

Trip-Out Operation:

Top drive is in the lower position. It engages, by elevator (38, FIG. 2), drilling string which rests in the floor slips (13). Floor slips opens and Top drive rises to upper position lifting the drilling string for the stand length. Floor slips closes and takes the drilling string weight.

Racking board crane and Floor robotic arm (9 and 11) engage stand (17) with their hands (15 and 16). Racking board crane hand is in guide mode.

Top drive dolly moves top drive, simultaneously with the crown to secondary path. Top drive travels to the floor to be ready to lift drilling string from the well for the length of the next stand.

In the meantime, iron-rough-neck breaks-off connection, racking board robotic arm switches its hand to grab mode lifts the stand for 6 inches and together with floor robotic arm moves stand from well center.

Top drive dolly moves top drive, simultaneously with the crown to the load path, engages drilling string and proceed with lifting drilling string, while to robotic arms proceed with moving previous stand to proper position on the floor and racking board.

Trip-in Operation:

Top drive is in upper position moved from secondary path to primary path. Robotic arms hold the drill stand, which is already connected to the drill string resting in floor slips. Top drive engages the drill stand top end with elevator. Robotic arms release the stand, it then retracts, allowing the top drive to lower the drill string, and arms proceed to engaging the next stand in the racking board.

Top drive lowers drilling string for the stand length. Floor slips closes, drill string weight transfers to slips. Top drive disengages from string and moves to by-pass path, allowing robotic arms to move next stand to well center, stab and connect stand to drilling sting resting in the slips. Connection is made by iron-rough-neck remotely controlled or iron rough neck controlled by computer and software, which run and control robotics arms, crown and dolly movement.

During make-up operation top drive travels upwards on by-pass path, ready to move on load path and engage the stand top end as soon as make-up operation is completed. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A drilling rig comprising of: a. A derrick assembly with primary and secondary vertical paths, wherein the secondary path allows the top drive to travel vertically within the derrick while plurality of pipe handling devices transport drill stand between primary path and racking board, connect a drill stand to or disconnect from the drill string; and b. Plurality of sliding assemblies wherein the plurality of sliding assemblies move the top drive in the axis perpendicular to the wellbore axis and the axis of the top drive remains parallel to the wellbore axis at all times; and c. Plurality of pipe handling devices wherein the plurality of pipe handling devices are capable of lifting, transporting the drill stand between the racking board and wellbore axis, and connecting the drill stand with the drill string
 2. A method of trip in sequence using the drilling rig derrick of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: a. Moving the top drive horizontally, into the secondary path in such a way that top drive axis and secondary path axis are aligned b. Initiating raising of the top drive along the secondary path c. Engaging the drill stand in the racking board with plurality of pipe handling devices, while raising the top drive d. Lifting and Transporting the drill stand between racking board and primary path, while raising the top drive e. Aligning the drill stand to the drill string, while raising the top drive f. Connecting the drill stand to the drill string, while raising the top drive g. Moving the top drive horizontally, into the primary path directly above the drill string, while engaging the drill string with plurality of pipe handling devices h. Engaging the drill string with the top drive elevator i. Disengaging the drill string from the plurality of pipe handling devices j. Disengaging the drill string from the floor slips k. Lowering the top drive with the drill string engaged by the length of the drill stand l. Engaging the drill string by the floor slips m. Disengaging the drill string from the top drive elevator
 3. A method of trip out sequence using the drilling rig derrick of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: a. Moving the top drive horizontally, into primary path in such a way that the top drive axis and primary path axis are aligned and top drive is positioned directly above the drill string b. Engaging the drill string by a top drive elevator c. Disengaging the drill string from the floor slips d. Raising the top drive, with the drill string engaged, by the length of the drill stand e. Engaging the drill string with the floor slips f. Engaging the drill string with plurality of pipe handling devices g. Disengaging the drill string from the top drive elevator h. Moving the top drive horizontally, into the secondary path i. Initiating lowering of the top drive along the secondary path j. Disconnecting the pipe stand from the drill string, while lowering the top drive k. Lifting and Transporting the pipe stand between the primary path and racking board, while lowering the top drive l. Placing the drill stand into the racking board m. Disengaging the drill stand from plurality of pipe handling devices 